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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/30079932">Sixth Reality</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/AmethystPearl99/pseuds/AmethystPearl99'>AmethystPearl99</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Defying Fate [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Little Nightmares (Video Game)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, Blood, Bullying, Canon-Typical Violence, Fluff, Friendship, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, I'm Bad At Tagging, I'm new at this, Little Nightmares II Spoilers, Mild Gore, Minor Violence, Psychological Torture, Shadow Six is a jerk, Time Loop, Trauma</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-03-16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-04-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-15 20:02:11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>17,373</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/30079932</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/AmethystPearl99/pseuds/AmethystPearl99</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>An eternal loop. A cycle of never-ending despair. What led the girl to that point? What were her thoughts and feelings as she traveled with the friendly boy with a paper bag over his head? Why until the very end, she made her choice?</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Mono &amp; Six (Little Nightmares)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Defying Fate [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2213124</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>44</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Gleam like the Moonlight</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This is my first Little Nightmares story, so please give constructive criticism. It will follow the events of Little Nightmares 2 in the POV of Six and I'm tackling this story as if it is a sequel to Little Nightmares 1. This story will be based on the time loop theory.</p><p>I like to credit the Youtuber Mai. It was her work, specifically her LN animations, that inspired me to write this fanfic. About 2/3 of the scenes in this chapter was inspired because of her.</p><p>I also like to give a big, big shout out to Engelsoft for beta reading all the chapters for this fanfic. Thank you very much for taking the time and helping me improve my writing! :D</p><p>I do not own Little Nightmares or the comics. Spoilers for the ending of the game, but I'm assuming you already know the ending if you're reading this. Haha. Enjoy.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Trapped. In the basement of the Hunter's cabin was a lone girl of nine years. It had only been a few weeks since her capture and imprisonment by the Hunter's hands, but Six felt hopeless. There was no way for her to escape. She had tried everything, but all possible exits were locked - the reason why the Hunter had succeeded in keeping her here in the first place. The Transmission in the Pale City had been affecting her despite her being currently locked somewhere in the Wilderness. The signals were weak in the air, but they still managed to reach her and did more to her than render her powers useless. Sad memories started to float up from the depths of her heart. It was like someone was trying to convey her a message: <em>You deserve your fate.</em></p><p>Did she truly deserve such a fate? Whenever she felt like the world was against her, the only comfort she found was her yellow raincoat. A reminder of a friend, as if she had a part of the girl who previously owned it with her. But now her raincoat was gone and she felt vulnerable and completely exposed without it. Forced to leave it behind after reaching the city, trying to evade the watchful eyes of someone and the Transmission, Six felt like she had forsaken a friend and it made her feel terrible. If she could, she would go back to get it, but she couldn't recall where she had left it. The air was shifting around her and the child felt like she was being watched again - like someone found her suffering to be amusing.</p><p>"Nona..." Six softly called out the name. "It's lonely without you."</p><p>Nona, the girl in the yellow raincoat. Six had met the slightly taller and older girl back at the Nest. A brief encounter, but they had shared names. Perhaps she had been a bit shy back then, running away from the girl, but she felt elated when Nona called out to her, promising: <em>I hope to see you again, Six!</em></p><p>A very sweet, silvery voice that had made Six feel hopeful. From Nona's cheerful tone, it felt like she had already become friends with Six. A special bond formed between the two girls without them having to actually say it. Despite not having met with Nona for a while during her escape from the Nest, the young girl was determined to leave - to reunite with a friend. They'd met again after Nona was being chased by the Butler. They'd worked together, helping each other. Though there were some difficulties along the way, they had persisted. When the Pretender was chasing after Nona down a cliff, the older girl helped push down a log for Six to jump to safety, despite it giving Nona's purser time to catch up.</p><p>Drawing closer to the end, the Pretender had Nona trapped. Adrenaline rushed throughout Six's body as she used a long stick to push a heavy bolder off the ledge, letting it fall directly on the Pretender. It was over. As the beating of her heart eventually returned to its normal pace, that hopeful girl beamed brightly at the older girl. Nona too, after catching her breath, smiled back at her.</p><p>There was the slight sound of digging as someone clawed at the dirt. Six gasped as the Pretender quickly lunged at Nona. The girl screamed as she was caught by surprise. It all happened so fast; they'd both started to fall. Six had reached out her hand despite it being useless. Desperation on the pitiful girl's face was reflected in Nona's caramel eyes as she too reached out her hand towards Six. Time felt like it was being slowed despite the events happening so fast. She couldn't do anything, but watch helplessly. Nona probably knew too, that she was going to die and that she couldn't be saved. Very soon, both friend and enemy perished to their watery demise.</p><p>Remembering that awful memory that she'd tried so hard to bury in the depths of her heart was too much. The girl covered her face as she started to cry, slowly descending into despair.</p><p><em>I'm sorry I couldn't saved you.</em> Everyone around her would die. Everyone, but the cursed version of herself who continued to live. Because Six was weak... Nona had paid the price. <em>If only I could have died in your place.</em></p><p>The sound of the rattling door handle could be heard, snapping the child out of her negative thoughts. Gasping, Six immediately ran underneath the table, adrenaline kicking in. The Hunter was coming! The door swung open as the humanoid monster breathed heavily. He didn't talk much, so the girl didn't know why he'd come down here. He knew that she was hiding under the table from the sound her terrified breathing against the silent tension in the room.</p><p>What was he here for? Had he finally decided to kill her? To add her to one of his collections? The Hunter was blocking the door, but he had put something down before leaving without a word, locking the exit. For a while, the child didn't move from her hiding spot, concerned that it was a trap. After some time, sensing that the Hunter had gone upstairs to do his business, she felt safe enough to leave the shadows.</p><p>Slowly, Six crawled out of her hiding spot to have a closer look at what item the Hunter had given her. A music box. Wiping the tears from her eyes, Six tilted her head to the side as she simply stared at the trinket curiously. The Hunter was a strange monster. Aside from him capturing her, he hasn't really done anything to her. There would be times when he would check in on her, but other than that, he would leave her alone.</p><p>Continuing to stare at the music box, Six poked at it, being very cautious. Eventually, she placed her tiny hands on the hand crank and slowly turned it. A melody flowed out and immediately, Six felt herself calming down a bit. Slowly, but surely, a small smile began to form on her face. With this, she wouldn't have to think about the sad times anymore.</p><p>~oOo~</p><p>More days passed until it had been a month since her imprisonment. The Hunter didn't visit her anymore since he could hear the sound of the music box from the basement. It meant that she was still alive. He became perplex, wondering why his prey wasn't dying from hunger or thirst. Children with their small bodies would die easily within a few days... but not her for some reason. During those days that had passed, Six began to get the feeling that the Hunter didn't want to stain his hands with children's blood. He wanted her dead, but not by his hands. Or perhaps she was the exception to the rule of slaughtering children. When the Hunter had brought her to his home, she saw his... taxidermy family. A girl - a daughter was missing in that scene. It was possible the Hunter saw her as a prize to fill in the role of a daughter to complete his perfect family.</p><p>Other than that, Six didn't really pay any mind to it, merely finding comfort in the melody as she tuned the box's crank. However, that ended when a large sound of breaking wood caught her attention. Startled, she retreated to the safety of the shadows, abandoning the music box and its comforting tune. It wasn't the Hunter. He would have easily opened the door, but to break it down? Someone else was here.</p><p>Entering was a boy, completely illuminated by the moonlight. He was wearing a brownish-grey shirt with matching pants. The side of his olive-colored trench coat looked like it allowed him to carry important items without the need to use his hands. She couldn't see his face since he had a paper bag over his head. Realizing that it was the boy she briefly saw in the forest, Six let out a quiet sigh. The boy heard her and slowly approached. At this, Six became tense until the boy knelt down a few feet away from her, giving her her space.</p><p>"Hey, psst!" he gestured for her to come out.</p><p>Hesitance spread as the girl contemplated what she should do. However, something about the boy made her feel that she could trust him. Crawling out from the shadows and into the light, Six stopped as the boy extended his hand to her. She slowly reached out, desperate for contact. Their fingers almost touched. However, those horrible images flashed in her mind and she stopped herself. The sight of Nona's panicked expression as she fell to her death... the Nome's terrified squeak as Six hungrily devoured it.</p><p>Frightened, Six ran, knocking the boy after bumping into his shoulder. She felt a little bad for rejecting his kindness, but he didn't know her - the cursed her. It was better if he didn't know and didn't get involved.</p><p>Kindness. Nona, the Nome, and now this boy... they were too sweet, too caring. Too kind... She hated it when kind people got involved... especially with someone like her. She was warped, she was cursed! Because whenever she got too close to kind people, she ultimately hurt them... and that hurt her.</p><p>
  <em>Because I selfishly want it so badly, the comfort of others. If I get too close to that boy, in the end... I'll only cause him a life full of grief.</em>
</p><p>Entering a room, Six noticed a lock on the door. While the Hunter never thought that she would escape from her room in the basement, he was still cautious enough to lock the door. From her adventures in the Maw, keys were normally kept in places one least expected. In this case, the attic. Jumping and grabbing hold on the handle, Six tried to apply her weight to gain access to the upper level of the cabin. But she was too light. Sensing another presence in the room with her, the girl let go, gasping when she saw the boy again.</p><p>Looking at the handle then back to the boy, Six could see them. Both Nona and the Nome were flickering where the boy was standing. Six bit her lips, caught in a dilemma. She didn't want him to get involved with her, but there was no way out without his help. After taking a deep breath, the girl thought it over in her head before finally coming to a decision: <em>If I have to accept his help, then it's best for me to keep my distant from him.</em></p><p>~oOo~</p><p>After defeating the Hunter in the Wilderness, Six quietly sat on the floating door as it drifted across the endless sea of deep blue with her arms wrapped around her knees. So many things had happened and they all left her puzzled. One such cause was the boy sitting not too far from her. She'd wanted to avoid him, but he'd continued to find her. Why? Why would he go after her? She was cursed and those who stuck with someone as cursed as her always met a terrible fate. Yet, as she snuck a glance at the boy, he didn't look like he had a care in the world, simply enjoying the sounds of the gentle waves, reaching his hand out to play with the water.</p><p>"Mono?" Six called out.</p><p>"What is it, Six?" the boy, Mono, responded.</p><p>"Why do you wear that paper bag over your head?" she asked uncertainly, concerned she was asking something too personal.</p><p>Regardless, the boy replied, "It helps me forget... that the world hates me and wants me to fail. Without it, I feel like I can see everyone's cruelty towards me."</p><p>Six regretted asking such a question, but it wasn't like she couldn't empathize with the boy. The world, her fate, always seemed to be against her. She didn't know or understand why that was, but that was her reality. Thinking back to Mono's words, Six wondered what he saw in her. If he were to look at her as she was now without his paper bag, would he see her as any different to the monsters in this world? Or would he see her as a monster under the guise of an innocent child?</p><p>"Six?"</p><p>His voice jerked her out of her musing as she turned her head to look at him. Despite her not being able to see his expression, his body language suggested his concern for her. Turning to look ahead as the fog slowly started to part and reveal the tall and curving towers along the shore of Pale City, Six thought of her words carefully as she hesitantly spoke.</p><p>"Do you think... if you took that bag off your head, you'd see me like a monster who'd hurt you?"</p><p>"No, I would never," Mono answered, taking her hand in his to show his sincerity. Looking at their linked hands, Six felt a familiar yet distant warmth in her fingers. "You're my friend, Six. I wouldn't think badly of you."</p><p>Softly gasping, Six looked up at the boy who had easily declared that she was his friend.</p><p>
  <em>Friends.</em>
</p><p>The word felt almost foreign to her. She had become used to being alone, yet this word made her feel assured. Maybe, just maybe... she could finally have a friend that she wouldn't lose. And perhaps... Mono could experience a little bit of compassion in this cold, dark world.</p><p>The fog parted completely as a shore was revealed not too far ahead. Standing up, the two kids waited as the waves smoothly swept the door to the ashen sand. Craning her neck to see the apex of the looming towers through the haze, Six felt her heart sink at their sheer size, as she realized the many more dangers lay ahead.</p><p>Their journey had only just started.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I'm aware that LN2 is a prequel, but I wrote this story and the next before the confirmation, so... yeah. It would be a waste to change it and I have my own ideas in the future that I would like to try.</p><p>Fun fact: Nona means nine!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Hopes and Doubts</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Enjoy chapter 2! Um... There is mild violence and bullying in this one. Get ready for School! Class is in session!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Walking into the School, Six felt uneasy and it wasn't just from the traps set up for them in the hallways.</p>
<p>Earlier, in one of the houses, a TV had turned on and the Transmission had buzzed to life across the screen. Mono had stood in front of the TV, placing a hand on the screen as a fuzzy image of a corridor appeared. At first, she didn't understand what was happening until she heard a voice speaking in her mind. However, it wasn't intended for her - it was for Mono. The voice came out as raspy and filled with static, but it was clear enough to make out. It was a man's voice, urging, "Come to me, boy, and open the door..."</p>
<p>Whatever door the man was talking about, Six wasn't sure. However, she knew she couldn't let Mono reach it. Shaking the boy, she called out to him desperately. He was unresponsive; she shook him harder. Six had to break the Transmission. She pulled the boy back with all her might. Breaking the connection, they both lay panting on the floorboard as the TV shut down. Mono was free.</p>
<p>After being pulled back into reality, Mono didn't seem to recall much, only stating that the dark corridor he'd been in was very similar to the one in his dreams. He couldn't help it, he'd simply felt drawn to the door with the eye symbol at the very end of the hall. Unable to respond much to what the boy had said, Six had decided to drop the topic for now. But that didn't help with the uneasiness she felt.</p>
<p>A noise snapped her out of her thoughts as she saw someone push a locker on top of Mono, trapping the boy. Rushing over to try to help him, she halted as the culprit jumped out. A Bully, made out of porcelain. He sneered at her, standing on top of the locker to prevent Mono from escaping and to keep her from helping him.</p>
<p>The Bully looked at her wickedly as if he'd just found a brand new toy to play with. "And where do you think you're going?"</p>
<p>Suddenly, four more porcelain dolls surrounded her, blocking any possible exits.</p>
<p>"She's mine!" one of the broken Bullies declared as she jumped on top of Six. Elbowing the slightly taller girl in her shattered face, Six succeeded in getting the doll off of her - but only for a few seconds. The Bully quickly recovered and started to drag Six back, away from the fallen locker.</p>
<p>"Let go of me!" she struggled, managing to kick another female Bully in the face.</p>
<p>"What's going on?! Six?!" Six heard Mono's muffled voice from the shaking locker.</p>
<p>"Mono!" she tried reaching out, but she was being dragged away as the other Bullies followed her.</p>
<p>There were more Bullies on top of the ceiling cover in the hallway. Seeing their captured victim, they quickly dropped down a ladder. Climbing the ladder with a struggling Six, the Bullies successfully retreated, pulling the rope ladder up before blocking the hole in the ceiling.</p>
<p>~oOo~</p>
<p>When they reached an empty room, the female Bully who was dragging Six roughly shoved her inside. Immediately, the doll got on top of her, using her weight to hold the girl down. Others helped in retraining her arms, pinning them down against the dusty carpet. Unable to escape, the child could only watch as the male Bully who had pushed the locker stood before her. Without warning, he stepped onto her right hand. It was so sudden and forceful, a cry unintentionally escaped from Six's mouth. That was a mistake. The Bullies found it amusing to see a reaction from their play-thing.</p>
<p>"Aw, does the little crybaby have a boo-boo? How sad!" the female Bully on top of her mocked.</p>
<p>"No matter how much you cry or scream, no one will save you!" the male Bully who had his foot on her hand threatened.</p>
<p>The sole of his school shoe dug deeper into her skin, applying more pressure to her hand. Six bit her lip to stop herself from letting out a weak cry. The pain was unbearable, but Six ignored the stinging in her eyes as she tried to compose herself, "You don't know that."</p>
<p>A bit startled by the lack of fear in her response, the Bullies quickly recovered from their shock, "Are you talking about that boy? What did you call him?"</p>
<p>"Who cares?! Don't think about it, girlie. That boy is as good as gone! Soon, he will change and he won't come back to you!" the male Bully sneeringly declared.</p>
<p>The doll's declaration resurfaced the uneasiness Six felt. In this world, a simple tragedy could change someone. Never could things return to the way they were. It had happened to her, multiple times... until she'd became indistinguishable from the monsters in this world. Would the same thing happen to Mono?</p>
<p>It was true that she was troubled by the man's voice who tried to lure Mono into reaching the door, but surely nothing drastic was going to happen that would cause Mono to change into something unrecognizable? Alongside the anxious feeling was anger. How dare these porcelain dolls make a statement when they didn't even know the boy? Sure, she couldn't claim she knew Mono well since they'd recently met, but she could tell from his actions that he wouldn't change into a monster like them... or her.</p>
<p>"Let's play a game with her!" the other Bullies suddenly cheered.</p>
<p>"Good idea! Girlie, let's play Teacher and Student!" the male Bully grinned evilly at her. "It's a simple game. I ask all the questions and you give me the answers. If I don't like the answers you give..." one of the Bullies handed him a small ruler. Eying the defenseless girl, he swatted the ruler down at the floor, just missing her face. "Well, let's just say you wouldn't want to make me angry."</p>
<p>The other Bullies were cheering and snickering. Excitement filled the air as they watched intensely. What kind of face would she make?</p>
<p>"Question one: what is your name, girlie?" It was a simple question, but Six wouldn't answer it. Silence filled the air. Only a ticking clock could be heard.</p>
<p>
  <em>Tick tock, tick tock...</em>
</p>
<p>Impatience quickly grew on the Bully's face as he brought the ruler down, barely scratching the surface of her cheek. Although she'd expected that to happen, Six couldn't help but flinch. "That was a warning, girlie. For the next question, I won't be so kind. Question two..."</p>
<p>The questions were getting relentless as they started to become more personal and felt more like an attack. Six had quickly realized that the male Bully was merely trying to scare her with his game. He and the others were trying to dig out something, asking questions to see which one would likely hurt her. The doll pretending to be the Teacher didn't hit her with the ruler whenever he swung it down, only missing. He just wanted a reaction, not answers.</p>
<p>It was also likely he didn't want to hurt her too much so the other Bullies could have a turn with her later.</p>
<p>Time felt like an eternity and Six felt drained of energy. Her hand, which was still under the Bully's shoe, was throbbing with pain. However, she also felt numb to it. Perhaps it was because the Bully hadn't applied any more pressure or she had emotionally blocked out the pain. Regardless, the Bully eventually abandoned his game and proceeded to taunt her and Mono.</p>
<p>As much as she would like to retort, she knew how these Bullies functioned. They would provoke their victim to get some kind of reaction. If there was no response, they would either get bored or try thinking of other ways to get their victim to squirm. Secretly, she hoped that these Bullies would leave her alone if she didn't give them the satisfaction of watching her cry or feel intimidated. Composing her thoughts, she glared at the Bully as he placed the ruler under her chin, forcing her gaze onto him. The sight of that expression angered the male Bully. He wanted to see her crumble into a mess, not look at him in defiance! The look in her eyes made him screech as he brought the ruler up and smacked one of his companions in anger, breaking the top of their head.</p>
<p>"Take her and do whatever you want! What a boring toy!" he complained as he finally removed his foot from her numb hand.</p>
<p>"Should we take her to the Teacher? We do have science class today!"</p>
<p>"No! I haven't had my fun yet! Once we are done playing with her, we can take this bad kid to the Teacher!"</p>
<p>Six let out a quiet hiss as she stared at the red, swelling mark that had formed on her hand, the pain slowly returning to her. She had blocked out everything, however, and didn't hear much of the Bullies' conversation except for bits of the last part. She didn't have even a minute to relax as the female Bully began to apply pressure onto her neck. Eyes widening, Six instinctively tried to scream Mono's name, but couldn't. She tried flailing, but the other Bullies restrained her tightly. It wasn't long until they forced her to slip into unconsciousness.</p>
<p>~oOo~</p>
<p>By the time Six regained consciousness, she groaned after finding herself in an uncomfortable situation. Two male Bullies were hanging upside-down on the floor. Were they... in the boy's bathroom? The walls and tiles matched the setting of a bathroom and when she looked at the corner of her vision, she could see urinals. Turning her sights back at the dolls, she quickly understood. They weren't the ones hanging upside-down, she was!</p>
<p>That would also explain the intense swirling sensation she felt in her head. She couldn't do anything in this situation as both of her legs were tied by a pulley and gravity seemed to force her into staying in a such a painful position. Face flushed, the girl weakly closed her eyes in hope that it would clear her head a bit. But with all her blood rushing to her brain, it didn't really help much.</p>
<p>"Does it hurt?" A voice mocked its concern. She didn't answer, but the male Bully could tell from the grimace on her face. "I guess it does! Looks like she can't handle staying upside-down!"</p>
<p>"She is so weak!" the other taunted. Opening her eyes, she glared at the Bullies. Unlike the one who was mad at her defiant stare earlier, these ones weren't and merely pointed at her. "Ooh, still giving us that look? You must be so mad!"</p>
<p>Despite their faces displaying eerie smiles, they sounded a tad disappointed that she didn't display the reaction they wanted from her. But still, a reaction was a reaction. Sure, she wasn't crying or begging, but at least they'd made her mad. That meant they'd managed to hurt her, even by a little. Whether it was because they were taunting her or it was their remarks on her friend earlier that made the girl angry, they didn't really care. They were proud to have struck a nerve.</p>
<p>After a few minutes had passed, Six couldn't maintain her glare any longer as the pain in her head started to get worse and worse. All she could do was weakly watch as the Bullies performed their antics. She couldn't care less at whatever insults they were throwing her way, after losing the energy to angrily stare at them any longer. Instead, she started to daydream, thinking of what to do after all of this was over. Suddenly, her vision started to blur as the bathroom's walls started to move in and out of focus. Becoming weary, Six turned her gaze to the Bullies, the outline of their porcelain bodies becoming fuzzy. Tiredly, the girl allowed herself to fall back into darkness.</p>
<p>Looking at their unconscious captive, the furthest Bully pouted, "Aw, she fell asleep! No fair, I want the game to continue!"</p>
<p>"She is a boring toy! What did you expect?" the closest one remarked. "Hey, did you hear? Teacher caught a naughty kid a few days ago!"</p>
<p>"The fat kid with the lollipop?"</p>
<p>"Yeah! He was such a crybaby and tried to run away when class wasn't over. Such a naughty boy, nothing like us perfect little angels!" the Bully snickered.</p>
<p>"I heard that he received punishment from the Teacher. How many times did you think she smacked him with the ruler?"</p>
<p>The snickering Bully didn't respond since there was a noise in the hallway causing the two dolls to turn in curiosity at the sounds of screeching, breaking, and the scraping of a heavy object. However, they weren't too concerned about what was going on outside. After all, they had set a trap just outside of the bathroom. Even if someone did make it past the hallway, they'd fall right into it!</p>
<p>~oOo~</p>
<p>"Hey..." a voice called out to her from the darkness.</p>
<p>She could feel a hand gently touching her head. Wincing in pain and feeling feverish, Six started to stir, struggling to sit upright. Her head was still throbbing in pain. Does that happen when someone stayed upside-down for too long? What happened before she lost consciousness? Remembering the Bullies, the girl softly gasped as her body became tensed. She turned her head to look at her surroundings, before turning her gaze on Mono. The sight of the boy startled her a bit, but Six eventually relaxed, letting out a sigh of relief. He offered her his hand and upon seeing the gesture, the girl felt ashamed of herself for letting the Bullies' taunts get to her.</p>
<p>Taking his hand, the boy helped her to her feet. Still feeling faint, she stumbled a bit upon taking a step, but relief settled in her mind when Mono caught her. Looking at Mono, Six saw a kind, brave boy. He was a friend she knew, so she shouldn't be afraid of him changing into someone she didn't know.</p>
<p><em>He's strong, unlike me...</em> Suddenly, a sharp pain pricked her hand as she hissed in response. Mono had only intended to hold her hand, and when he looked down, he saw a red, indented mark shaped like the sole of a shoe.</p>
<p>Looking back at her, he questioned, "Are you okay, Six? You're not hurt, are you?"</p>
<p>Six didn't really know how to respond to that question, but she knew he was asking because he was genuinely concerned for her wellbeing. For a moment, she considered telling him about her worries, confiding her troubles to the boy, but eventually decided against it. She shouldn't burden her friend when they were still in the School, where more Bullies could ambush them. It was best for them to leave as soon as they could.</p>
<p><em>The Bullies are wrong. Mono wouldn't change.</em> Finding her resolve, Six shook her head, "Mm-mm."</p>
<p>Still not feeling convinced, Mono took out a handkerchief he'd gotten while exploring some of the rooms in the School from his pocket. Jumping onto the sink, he soaked the piece of cloth under the cool water before jumping back down to the floor. Holding the girl's hand, the boy wrapped the cloth around it, hoping the cool water would help soothe the pain. Once he was done bandaging her up, Six retracted her hand to look at it. It did help, and looking at the boy, Six felt her gratitude and admiration for him continuing to grow. However, no-one had ever showed this level of kindness towards her, so Six didn't really know how to express her appreciation. The boy didn't think much about it as he held her left hand, gently leading her to a nearby closed window and avoiding the mess of broken porcelain.</p>
<p>Not knowing what else to say, the girl decided to keep quiet unless Mono asked her a question. As for the boy, he didn't press with any more questions, not wanting his friend to dwell on what the Bullies had told her or done to her. After a long silence, neither knew what to say without feeling awkward, so they didn't say anything else at all.</p>
<p>~oOo~</p>
<p>After obtaining the key and unlocking the next room, Six and Mono saw another Bully at the end of the corner, drawing on the floorboards with white chalk. Quietly, Mono crouched, inching his way to a nearby hammer. Meanwhile, Six was creeping towards the unsuspecting Bully. Once she felt assured that he wouldn't hear her, the girl stood up, slowly walking up to the porcelain doll. Stealth was her specialty and each step she took was very light as if she was in a dance. Recognizing him to be the same one who had bullied her back at the empty classroom, a smile formed on her face as she looked down at the doll. If anyone were to see her smiling the way she was now, they would see her as an angel with such an innocent expression on display.</p>
<p>However, her eyes were sunk in darkness as a quiet, soft sadistic giggle escaped from her lips. Before Mono could drag the hammer, Six lunged on top of the Bully, grabbing onto the sides of his fragile head and easily bashing it on the floor. The Bully tried to struggle, but she wouldn't relent. A thump, a bang...</p>
<p>
  <em>Crack!</em>
</p>
<p>On the third try, she forcibly slammed his head on the floor, shattering it into many pieces. It felt... really refreshing to have a little revenge. She enjoyed the feeling, wishing it lasted a little longer. Slowly, she stood up, staring at the remains before turning back to Mono, who was looking at her in awe, maybe a little disturbed by her behavior, as she never confronted her enemies.</p>
<p>"Six?"</p>
<p>"Sorry," she apologized. "It's just... that Bully did a lot of things to me..."</p>
<p>Catching the resentment in her tone, Mono shook his head, "No, I understand."</p>
<p>She tilt her head in response, "You do?"</p>
<p>The name-calling... learning that he was an unwanted child... donning the paper bag. He stopped the memory as he nodded, "Yeah."</p>
<p>Taking her hand, he led to her to the drawer. No time to think about the past. They needed to leave the School. As the kids headed in that direction, piano music could be heard.</p>
<p>~oOo~</p>
<p>After escaping from the Teacher, it started to rain in Pale City. The rain was relentless and it didn't seem like it would stop anytime soon. As it continued to pour, Six's gray cardigan began to absorb the rainwater, bringing a chill around her body. Had it not made her cold, she would have enjoyed the feeling as the rain washed away the grime and filth on her clothes. Shivering, the girl tried her best to catch up with Mono, who was running ahead of her.</p>
<p>Seeing that Six was far behind him, Mono stopped and took notice of her quivering form as the girl crossed her arms in an attempt to stay warm. Understanding that she needed a place away from the rain or some kind of waterproof material, Mono led the way, often checking over his shoulder to make sure the girl was behind him. Eventually, he found a little shelter with a roof on top. But something caught his eyes. At the center was a bright yellow raincoat.</p>
<p>Excited, he called out to her, "Hey, Six! Over here!"</p>
<p>Entering the small shelter, the girl's eyes lit up at the sight of <em>her</em> raincoat. After the Ferryman had departed with her from the Maw and brought her to the Pale City, she was forced to leave it behind. Walking over to it, Six knew it would have been better if she took off her wet cardigan so she wouldn't catch a cold. However, even if Mono was averting his gaze elsewhere and she had her white T-shirt and shorts underneath the woolly sweater, the thought of changing near a boy felt embarrassing... especially after the indecent jokes and gestures the Bullies had done in the bathroom. So, she would have to make do with wearing her coat over her clothes.</p>
<p>Once her arms passed through the sleeves, she pulled the hem down, straightening it so that it aligned perfectly with the hem of her cardigan. Finally, she pulled the rhombus-shaped hood over her head. Besides, having more layers couldn't hurt. Even though she was still soaked underneath, as she looked down at herself a soft smile graced her face, welcoming the tiny bit of a warmth that had come back to her upon wearing her raincoat again. It was like <em>she</em> was there with her, hugging her and telling her that it was okay. Unfortunately, upon checking her pockets, her lighter was gone.</p>
<p><em>I have my raincoat back, that's all that matters.</em> Six wrapped her arms around herself.<em> Welcome back, Nona. I'm sorry I took so long.</em></p>
<p>Turning around, she tapped the boy on his shoulder to indicate that she was done. "I'm ready."</p>
<p>Mono turned around and looked at her. Much like she couldn't see his face, he couldn't see hers with the yellow hood casting a shadow over it. With her coat on, Mono noticed a difference in the way Six conducted herself. She seemed more confident and there was a sense of mystery in the air around her. He couldn't read her as easily anymore. It was as if he was seeing a whole new side of her that he never knew about. However, in his head, he knew this was the same girl he had been traveling with on their adventure.</p>
<p>With a nod, they went to their next location: the Hospital.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I hated the School chapter, in a good way. It filled me up with so much dread and anxiety!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Dreams and Despair</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>After exploring the Hospital a bit, the children made their way to the playroom. Upon seeing so many toys, Six was overcome with child-like curiosity, tempted to pick one up. Mono had picked up a teddy bear and went to the room with the X-ray. After flipping the switch, the machine showed that there was nothing inside the stuffing. With this knowledge, the boy tossed the bear aside before going back into the playroom to pick up another stuffed animal. Observing this, Six picked up a toy that interested her. A red and yellow wooden duck.</p>
<p>"Six, the key is in this bunny!" Mono exclaimed from the next room.</p>
<p>Looking at the toy in her hands, the girl went into the next room as the boy carried the fluffy stuffed bunny. Mono had noticed his friend carrying that wooden duck, but made no comments about it. As they walked to the elevator that led to the incinerator, the boy had wondered what his friend had been through. At times, she was like no other child, quick and agile. Other times, she acted like the kid she was, taking interest in what many kids did. As he pondered over this, he heard her voice.</p>
<p>"Mono?"</p>
<p>"Yes?"</p>
<p>"Have you ever had a sweet dream?" she inquired.</p>
<p>"To be honest, I don't really know. My dreams were never clear. They were always filled with mysteries," the boy answered.</p>
<p>"It doesn't have to be a dream when you sleep at night. Just something you wish for that would make you happy," Six clarified.</p>
<p>"Oh." The question baffled Mono, for he'd never really thought about what would make him happy.</p>
<p>The world just felt... empty and hollow. He remembered many orphans who would pick on him for being the youngest of the group, the fire... and the tall, dark outline of a man. Screams could be heard as orphaned children got taken away. A broken TV had been his place to hide... that was how he ended up in the forest, where he'd stayed for a while.</p>
<p>For a long time, he had been alone... until he spotted Six in the forest. After witnessing her getting captured by the Hunter, Mono wanted to help her escape. Once he rescued her, he learned about the Signal Tower that had been distorting the city with its broadcast. He knew he was a stubborn kid, so he'd gone on a journey to shut down the tower. However, having Six for a traveling companion and a friend also had him discover more about himself.</p>
<p><em>Hm, what would make me happy?</em> He snuck a glance at the girl beside him. For now, having her for a friend was enough for him. <em>Once we shut down the broadcast, I'll think more about my dream...</em></p>
<p>"Mono?" Six called out to him, still waiting for an answer.</p>
<p>"At the moment, I don't know what my dreams would be... but for now, having you for a friend makes me happy, Six," he answered somewhat cheerfully.</p>
<p>He could hear a small gasp as the girl in question looked at him. A simple statement like that caused her heart to blossom a very warm, nostalgic feeling. Aside from knowing Mono saw her as a friend, she didn't really think he would enjoy her company. After all, they didn't really know each other that well and had met simply because of their brief encounter at the forest. But perhaps she didn't comprehend that because she had become numb after the horrors she'd witnessed. Regardless, his answer caused a slight hint of a smile to form on her face.</p>
<p>"What about you, Six? Are there any dreams or wishes that would make you happy?" Mono redirected the question to her as the doors opened.</p>
<p>Exiting the elevator and leaving the wooden duck behind, Six didn't respond until Mono had gotten the key from the ashes of the incinerator. She had her eyes on the wall, but it felt like she was seeing through it, her mind focusing on a different world.</p>
<p>"There are so many things that would make me happy... I guess that's why we could have more than one dream if we wanted..." she stated. Taking a breath, she answered, "I would like to have caring parents, a wonderful home, and..."</p>
<p>"And...?" Mono prompted her to continue.</p>
<p>"I want friends whom I can visit everyday!" She cheerfully turned around to face him, a lovely, radiant smile spread on her face.</p>
<p>That smile was so infectious, the boy couldn't help but smile as well as he began to hold her hand. Together, they went to the elevator to insert the key into a lock on the second floor of the main hall. Looking down at Mono's hand holding hers, Six closed her eyes, allowing herself to be immersed in the wonderful feeling she was experiencing. There was a reason why she wished for those types of dreams.</p>
<p>Recalling her time at the Maw, stories had been spread around about what parents were. Apparently, they were adults, but they were once children who had grown up and chosen to become more responsible. However, they weren't like the monsters she had encountered. Sometimes, they would spoil you because they cared about you so much. Other times, they would scold you, but that was only because they were worried and wanted to teach you a lesson so you wouldn't get hurt. Some might be strict, but they meant well. Afterwards, they would hug you endearingly and plant kisses on your face.</p>
<p>Six had never had a place to call home. Even though she had lived at the Nest, the Maw, even some parts of the Pale City, they were only temporary places. Sanctuaries that were also like prisons. Even if she could live in any of those places, they were not places she would want to come back to.<em> I want a home that I can return to... A home that I want to return to of my own will because it's a place that is safe and comfortable, filled with people who are waiting for me to return...</em></p>
<p>Lastly, she wanted friends whom she could visit and see whenever she wanted. No longer would she have to worry over losing those she cared for or see them perish. <em>We would play, we would laugh... crying our hearts out and comforting each other... we would just be kids without having to think much about the world.</em> Even if they would have to leave her, it would only be because they had to go home, but they would definitely return soon. <em>That's what I want most of all. That is my wish, my dream...</em></p>
<p>She tried to envision it and the picture was perfect. To be surrounded by so many precious friends in a tranquil surrounding. It was a beautiful ring of joy and laughter. Hearing the doors open once more, Six opened her eyes as her reverie had ended. For now, they had a tower to destroy.</p>
<p>~oOo~</p>
<p>After boosting Mono into a room and wishing him to be safe, Six was sitting on the floor playing with a mannequin hand. At the moment, she was twisting the fingers to see what shapes she could make with them. Initially, she had considered going back to the playroom to play with all the toys. It would also give her a reason to use the incinerator to dry her clothes underneath her raincoat. It was still soaked from the rain earlier and some of the water had seeped into her T-shirt and shorts, causing the fabric to stick to her skin, which wasn't really comfortable.</p>
<p>However, Mono might come back with the light source at any moment. If she strayed too far now, he might panic and search for her. The boy didn't need any more added problems, especially after the ambush at the School. Looking down at the twisted fingers and the cracked knuckles, Six stopped what she was doing, returning to that happy dream she was imagining back at the elevator. However, a voice suddenly called out to her - and it wasn't Mono's. She hadn't heard that voice for a long time now.</p>
<p>
  <em>Still thinking of that again? You've gone soft. </em>
</p>
<p>Six frowned as she heard the annoyed tone of her darker self.</p>
<p>
  <em>Stop fooling yourself, Six. You know that dream you want won't happen.</em>
</p>
<p><em>You don't know that,</em> Six retorted, frustrated now that her dream had been interrupted.</p>
<p><em>I'm not a Bully mocking you, Six.</em> Shadow Six noted that the girl had used those exact words back at the School. <em>I am merely giving you advice: stop being naive about it; stop trying to cling onto your ideal childhood and innocence. Those things are gone since 'that' moment happened. If you keep on holding on to such fantasies, it will hurt you even more. You know this.</em></p>
<p>Six paused, not wanting to think about her troubles and past again. However, Shadow Six would always be there to remind her of things such as this. It was true that fate had never been kind to her. Any friends - or potential ones - would get killed by her directly or indirectly. It was something she tried not to think about, but it had become increasingly difficult not to. Yes, it would be wise to follow such advice. However, her human heart wanted the opposite, desperately and deeply wishing she could escape from her nightmares - wishing that she wouldn't lose any more precious friends whom she loved.</p>
<p>Love? That wasn't a feeling she was familiar with. When had she learned of its existence? She'd never felt the love of parents. And at the moment, she didn't understand too much of the concept of loving someone. So why did the word feel familiar despite her never experiencing it?</p>
<p>Oh. The answer was probably simple. When Mono told her that being with her made him happy and she'd felt warm, was that love? Or was that an extension of the concept? Is friendship a tiny fragment of love? Whenever she felt sad and cried because someone dear to her was gone, whenever she yearned to see them again, or whenever she felt the urge to save them... was that love? She didn't know for sure, but the thought of it felt right. If that was the meaning of the word, then perhaps...</p>
<p>
  <em>Perhaps I've grown to love Mono...</em>
</p>
<p>The thought of the boy made her chest hurt, but it wasn't the same type of hurt she'd experienced before, like her hunger pains or when the Bullies had tormented her. It was a soft, tender feeling that overflowed with such warmth and gentleness. It felt... comforting... in the same way that he held her hand as they ventured on. It made her happy.</p>
<p>Despite the joyous thought, the topic eventually led her back to her worries and sense of uneasiness. When they had entered the main hall of the Hospital, the TV had turned on by itself and Mono had done the same as last time. He had gotten further in the corridor and would have reached the door with the eye on it if she hadn't pulled him back. This time, Mono recalled a lot, telling her about the man's voice. Apparently, that voice belonged to the Thin Man and he was the one responsible for what was going on in the Pale City. He didn't know why he knew, but the information had just come to him as if it was something he was supposed to remember.</p>
<p>Alarmed, Six had warned Mono to not tune the Transmission the next time it happened. She didn't know why, but her instincts told her that behind that door was something dreadful. The boy was shocked, uncertain if he could follow through with the warning since not only did he feel drawn to the door, but when the Transmission happened, he felt so much pain that tuning it made him feel better. It was like the Thin Man was egging him into opening the door as well as tuning the Transmission in the first place to get rid of the pain. That statement didn't sit well with Six as she resumed cracking knuckles and twisting fingers as a way to distract herself. Eventually feeling someone was looking at her curiously, she turned her head to see that Mono was staring at her.</p>
<p>He was holding the light source, but currently, his eyes were fixated on her and what she was doing to past the time. Awkward silence filled the air around them as Six felt somewhat embarrassed. However, he didn't say anything and just exited the room, the girl sheepishly following just behind him.</p>
<p>~oOo~</p>
<p>After boosting Mono into a different room, Six went to the incinerator, needing to do something about her wet clothes. Descending down in the elevator, the girl took off her raincoat, carefully placing it on the ground before taking off her cardigan and placing it in a spot where the heat can reach it without burning the material. The Hospital had an eerie chill in the air and with her T-shirt and shorts exposing her skin, Six shivered as she sat down near the fire. As it was a small apparatus, the warmth of the fire didn't last long and Six often had to pull the lever to activate it again. Clutching her raincoat in her hands like a valuable treasure, the girl stared at the dancing flames that flickered in the darkness.</p>
<p>Focusing her mind back on Mono and his possible connection to the Thin Man, she briefly wondered if the Thin Man had cursed Mono to feel pain whenever the Transmission started to play just like how the Lady had cursed her with hunger attacks. Perhaps tuning the Transmission was Mono's way to relieving pain just like how she had to eat to sate her hunger.</p>
<p>A frown formed on her face as a thought occurred. Ever since she had escaped the Maw, Six had felt her powers being nullified by the Transmission playing all over the Pale City. Since her powers were somewhat linked to her curse, she hadn't experienced any hunger since stepping foot in the city or anywhere near it. While the tower was also affecting her, if they successful shut down the Transmission, what would become of her? She'd get her powers back, but she'd have to eat again. All the times when she should have eaten... After this was all over, would her hunger return with greater intensity?</p>
<p><em>A very interesting thought, a gold star for you, Six!</em> Shadow Six mocked, as if she was the Teacher back at the School.</p>
<p><em>Go away,</em> Six told the dark version of her in an annoyed tone.</p>
<p><em>Ah-ah-ah...</em> Shadow Six replied, <em>Now, Six, is that a way to treat an old friend? The Transmission has been affecting me as well and that's why I haven't talked much.</em></p>
<p>
  <em>You're not my friend.</em>
</p>
<p><em>Shock! I am hurt! And after I gave you a little push at killing that Bully. It was very delightful seeing that thing break. Ah, Nona would have been so disappointed in you.</em> Shadow Six laughed to herself as she enjoyed pushing the girl's buttons. <em>I wouldn't keep deluding myself with hopes and dreams if I were you, Six. Very, very soon... the new moon is going to block out the sun.</em></p>
<p><em>What are you talking about? </em>Six demanded, becoming more irked by her shadow's presence.</p>
<p>She could feel Shadow Six smiling in the depths of her heart. However, instead of answering, her dark form returned to one of her previous trains of thought as Six could feel her shifting the topic back to her hunger.</p>
<p><em>It's like a dam that holds back water, don't you think?</em> Shadow Six inquired in an amusing tone. <em>Overtime, the water builds up from all the rain until eventually, not even the dam can stop the excess water from flowing out... flooding and destroying everything and anything it can reach. </em><em>So indeed, what would happen after all of this is over, I wonder? </em>Shadow Six grinned, knowing she had Six's attention now. <em>You know, Six... You're twisted. You're craving for something and it's not food. You're craving for kindness. That boy had given you so much that you became desperate for more.</em></p>
<p>
  <em>That's not-</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Don't try to deny it. I know you better than those Bullies. It's only a matter of time until your twisted desperation will overwhelm Mono - completely consuming him. Ah, the sun that despairingly wants to embrace can only melt those it touches. Hehe! How would Mono react if he knew this hidden side of you, I wonder?</em>
</p>
<p>At that last, taunting question, Six felt Shadow Six fading from her mind, giving back a little bit of privacy to her. Staring at the smoke from the dying flames, she hoped there was still time before her hunger re-emerged after stopping the Signal Tower. She wouldn't want to endanger an innocent person, especially when they were her friend. There was also the concerning matter of a new moon blocking out the sun. It was brief, but when she thought about, she couldn't get rid of Thin Man's voice from her mind. His declaration back when she was at the Wilderness: <em>You deserve your fate</em>.</p>
<p>Shaking her head, the girl put that possibility out of her mind.</p>
<p>Seeing that the gray woolly material had been fully dried, the girl put it back on before slipping into her raincoat. Exiting the incinerator room, Six ran back to the cells. Mono must be close to getting the light source now and she mustn't delay if he needed her help from the other side.</p>
<p>~oOo~</p>
<p>"Six, close the door!" Mono yelled after getting out of the vent.</p>
<p>The girl did as she was told and shut the door to an even larger incinerator. With the Doctor trapped inside, he could only bang at the door as Mono activated the apparatus with the pull of a lever. The monster howled as he burned alive, the crackling fire setting his body ablaze.</p>
<p>
  <em>It's just like Hansel and Gretel...</em>
</p>
<p>Upon gazing at the fire, Six couldn't help but sit down and warm herself by the welcoming heat. She didn't know why, but the sight and warmth of the beautiful light felt reassuring and mesmerizing. She felt Mono sitting nearby and with one quick glance, she could tell he was exhausted from the chase earlier. After what they had been through, she didn't blame him for wanting a break. Staring back at the fire, Six felt a pleasant, fond memory entering her mind.</p>
<p>A place of tranquility, the soft crackling fire in the hearth. A gentle orange glow that illuminated the place. It was warm, it was peaceful... it felt safe. Many Nomes gathered around, admiring the fire as it brought a sense of comfort. It was the only good place the Maw had to offer, contrasting the cold, damp, chaotic area of the massive machine. A little Nome would follow her wherever she went. A wonderful... Hideaway. Despite how pleasing the scene was, Six frowned at the memory. Had she been to that place before? She didn't remember even coming across that area in the Maw, but she had.</p>
<p><em>Oh,</em> she softly realized.</p>
<p>It wasn't her memory, but someone else's. It had belonged to that Nome, she'd only inherited it. The thought of that Nome brought back painful memories, so she put them to the side. Ever since Six's internal conversation with Shadow Six, the girl found herself at a lost. If her hunger would return... then it was probably best for her to keep her distance with Mono. The thought of it made her feel sorrowful for she had enjoyed the boy's company.</p>
<p>"Mono, when you look at this fire, what do you see?" Six asked, her mind shifting to a different memory to rid herself of the thought.</p>
<p>"It reminds me of the sunset," Mono replied as he got up.</p>
<p>A sunset? Those warm colors as the sun melts below the horizon? A crestfallen smile formed on the girl's face as she gaze sadly at the fire.</p>
<p>"The sun is always alone, isn't it?" she softly inquired, but it was more like a statement. "Just like... me..."</p>
<p>"Six? It's time." Mono's voice called out to her. "We should get moving."</p>
<p>"Okay." Getting up, Six made her way to the boy, helping him reach the lever by giving him a boost. Together, they entered the elevator that led to the exit of the Hospital.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Feel free to leave a comment if you wish. I like to know what your thought are on the chapters.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Imprisoned Soul</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Entering a different area of the house, a TV in the living room was turned on as Mono was lured into tuning the Transmission. Six was about to go stop him, but her motion was starting to slow because the Transmission was affecting time.</p><p>"Mono!" she called out, until suddenly, she had to cover her ears to protect them from the Transmission.</p><p>The Thin Man's voice was in her head, however, he wasn't talking to Mono like the previous times. Instead, he was speaking to her. His raspy, static voice rang with agitation, "Don't interfere with me, girl."</p><p>Slowly, Six tried to reach out to her friend. The boy was like before, tuning the Transmission, but his body was unresponsive to external stimuli. Placing her hands on his shoulders, she pulled him back as much as she could until she finally separated the boy from the TV. Had she done it? Had she cut the Transmission in time? Looking over at Mono, she reached out for him. He quickly reacted and looked at the TV. Hesitantly, she followed his gaze, its bright light really hurting her eyes. But then she saw <em>him</em> flickering. Feeling frightened, she scooted back a little bit as the silhouette of a tall man in a fedora hat appeared on the screen. It was as though his body was stretched out.</p><p>Quickly getting up to her knees, Six beckoned to the boy. When he didn't respond, she urgently called out, "We have to go, Mono!"</p><p>She became desperate as Mono was still fixated on the TV, reaching out for it. Finally, a pair of hands appeared on the screen as the Thin Man was trying to get through! Looking over worriedly at Mono, Six called out to him, telling him to follow her as she started to run out of the room. Exiting the living room and sprinting into the bedroom, Six hid under the table. Because of the Transmission, she couldn't run at normal speed, but her mind was panicking. She didn't even think about hiding under the bed. All she could think of was finding a place to hide, despite whether it was a good spot or a bad one.</p><p>A few seconds later, Mono arrived and hid himself under the bed. The two children hoped that the Thin Man wouldn't find them in this room, but as this house was very small, there weren't many rooms to search.</p><p>All of a sudden, the Transmission was gone. Six considered running and hiding under the bed with Mono, but the Thin Man was already at the door. He was leaning a bit, picking up her distinct yellow raincoat from under the table. Not doing anything yet, he simply observed her next move.</p><p>"Give me the boy..." the Thin Man demanded. "I don't have the time nor patience, girl!"</p><p>Looking up at the towering Thin Man and then at Mono, Six tried to make it to the boy, but she tripped on a block a few feet away from the bed. Looking at the man behind her, she could tell that he was starting to fade, needing to return to the Signal Tower. The Thin Man was staring at her fiercely as if she was an annoying, disgusting insect. Turning to look at Mono, she could see the boy had his hands over his ears.</p><p>"I have had enough of your meddling you impudent child! Since you keep hindering me from getting the boy, I shall start with you first!"</p><p>Scared. She was scared. Instinctively, Six reached out her hand towards Mono despite it being pointless to do so. At times like this, she just wanted to feel assured - to feel the gentle firm grip that told her everything was going to be okay. However, that comfort she sought didn't come as the Thin Man hovered a hand above of her. Feeling herself getting pulled away by an unnatural force, the girl screamed as she was taken away. Her last vision was her friend hidden and safe under the bed.</p><p>~oOo~</p><p>Within the Signal Tower, Six woke up to find herself in a familiar suitcase. For a brief moment, she started to panic, thinking that she was back at the Maw. However, after a quick look at her surroundings, the girl found herself trapped in a room. Curiosity took hold of her as she climbed out of the suitcase to explore the room she was in. It felt very familiar to the one in the Hunter's basement. However, the only difference was that it was filled with toys that she had seen during her journey with Mono. Confused, yet a bit awed that the room had the many toys and items she desired had she lived like a normal child, the Thin Man's voice brought her out of her musing. She looked around, but no one was in the room with her. Of course, since the man resided within the tower, he didn't need to be physically in the large space.</p><p>"I know what you two have been planning. I won't allow the Signal Tower to end... Well, not yet anyway."</p><p>His tone was more relaxed, unlike the previous moment when he was angry over his unsuccessful attempts at capturing Mono.</p><p>"You won't succeed! Mono will stop you!" Six shouted at the ceiling.</p><p>Despite her awareness that the Thin Man wasn't with her, she felt like she was being looked down on. The Thin Man simply chuckled, "Indeed, child. With his powers and potential, it is possible for him to defeat me. It is an outcome I expect to happen... Though I hope that's not the case this time."</p><p>Defiance was replaced with shock. What did he mean by that? Sensing the girl's confusion, he elaborated, "I knew one day, a brave child like Mono would try and stop the Signal Tower. It was destined to happen. However, one way or another, this tower won't fall... not unless I remove the irregularity in this reality."</p><p>The air around Six felt... strange. Different. While she could sense bitterness in his tone, the way he talked to her sounded very formal as if one was greeting an old acquaintance. That uneasiness Six had felt throughout her journey with Mono returned. She was always perplexed by the connection Mono had with the Thin Man. His abilities were similar to that of her captor. Then, the Bullies' remarks on Mono returned to her mind. She didn't want to accept the possibility. Yet, she dared to anyway.</p><p>"W-Who are you really?"</p><p>Silence. A very long silence persisted until the girl could feel the air change again. There was a slight familiarity to it. Finally, the Thin Man spoke, "It's been a very long time since I had a proper chat with you, Six."</p><p>"No..." she dreaded the voice. "You can't be."</p><p>"Oh, but I am." Bitterness returned. "Mono was once my name, but I've grown up and abandoned it... Just like how you abandoned me."</p><p>Abandoned him? But she didn't abandon Mono.</p><p>"In this reality, you haven't yet. I don't know your reasons why, but regardless, you abandoned me. I sought to capture my past self to prevent him from repeating his mistakes - from trusting you. With each loop, I became nothing more than the endless feelings of hopelessness of when you left me. In the end, all I have for you is hatred."</p><p>Hatred. The word alone felt like a stab in her heart. A broken promise. Instinctively, her hand reached to touch the center of her forehead. The girl felt hurt by the Thin Man's words. The way he was talking to her was like he was judging and condemning her, just like how fate was always playing with her life and mocking her for the sadness she had to witness. She didn't want to believe it.</p><p>"Y-You're lying! You can't be Mono! He's kind and compassionate! He has a good heart!" She wanted to find an excuse.</p><p>"All of which was destroyed the moment you abandoned me." Anger was fully present as the voice bounced around the room. "Do you want to know something, Six? The one thing I regretted in my life was ever befriending you."</p><p>Feeling defeated, Six just looked down. Had she hurt Mono so badly that he'd became the Thin Man? If so, what had she done? Or rather, what had the other realities of herself done?</p><p>"Why?" she asked quietly, more to herself.</p><p>"That, I will never know. So many times, you seemed to be angry at me. Other times, you just left me without warning, as if you only cared for your own survival. With each loop, every reality has noticeable differences. Yet, the ending remains the same." the Thin Man mused. "It has been a long time since I actually talked to you like this or came across a Six whose bond with my past self goes deeper than mere partnership. A very rare occurrence."</p><p>"But... I'm not the same Six as the one who abandoned you..." Six spoke more timidly.</p><p>"I am aware, but what I desire is vengeance. And I will have it, in due time," the Thin Man remarked, "It doesn't matter which version of you I lay my eyes upon, it's still you."</p><p>"Why is that?"</p><p>"You should know, Six." He spat her name like it was a disease. "I never felt a single joy from this world. My only happiness was you, the first friend I ever had. Imagine how much it pained me to see you leave me, seeing countless versions of you doing the same. I know what Mono will do since I was once him."</p><p>At this, Six became worried. Could there be more to why the Thin Man brought her here? Was it all a trap to lure Mono to the Signal Tower so the Thin Man could confront him? Perhaps her realization was there on her face for him to see or he had seen a similar scene like this in other realities before. Regardless, his cold, sinister laughter confirmed her worries.</p><p>"You are right, child. However, having you as bait to get Mono isn't the only reason."</p><p>"What do you mean...?"</p><p>"Knowing what you just learned now, how do you think my past self would react if his only friend became the monster she truly was?" He taunted her as if daring her to figure it out. "I do hope this time, his naivete won't get him imprisoned like I was."</p><p>Six was given a few minutes to ponder, but it didn't take long for her to realize what the Thin Man's plans were.</p><p>"No..." she feared.</p><p>Once more, his laughter confirmed her suspicion, "Life is never fair to kind, innocent children. One small push, and you get a taste of how truly horrifying the world can be. You, who has witness such tragedies, should understand. The same applies to me - to Mono. If you ask me, death would have been a kinder fate for children like you. Resting in eternal sleep, never having to wake up to the misfortunes that the world has to offer. However, do be on your best behavior and maybe another tragedy might not have to happen... especially by <em>your</em> hands."</p><p>Eventually, Six could feel that the Thin Man's presence was gone. Perhaps he had gone to a different room to keep watch over Mono. However, this gave her the chance to escape. If she did, the Thin Man's plans would never come to fruition. Whatever loop he was in might be broken. If she was needed at the midpoint between A and B - if she could just break away from that point, A would never reach B.</p><p>Looking around, she needed to find a TV and contact Mono. Pulling a stool towards the door, she easily escaped her room and navigated her way through the Signal Tower. It was hard, finding a TV, but after exploring a bit, Six understood how the inside of the tower worked. If you wished to find a certain thing or someone, you merely thought about it and found the room that had it. Since she needed to find a TV, she needed to listen for any static noises.</p><p>After venturing into many rooms, Six finally managed to find what she was looking for. She couldn't tune the Transmission like Mono could, but maybe he could reach her from the other side. So, pushing through the screen, Six found herself inside a white hallway. In front of her was glass that looked like a window, letting her view the outside of reality. There was a living room ahead. To her surprise and relief, a boy wearing a paper bag was running across that room. If he ran further, he might miss her.</p><p>"Mono!" she called out, running to the glass, hoping that he heard her. Luckily, he did and rushed to the TV, calling her name. Six knocked on the glass before looking behind her, feeling the Thin Man's presence again. "Hurry!"</p><p>Feeling Mono's hands over hers, he struggled to pull her out, but it was working! She was almost out! Just when she was about to escape, Six felt a cold hand grab her, his long fingers tightly wrapped around her dainty body. Despite it being impossible to escape, she still reached her hands out.</p><p>"Six!" Mono cried out as she screamed from the force that dragged her back to the Signal Tower.</p><p>The boy could only watch and speculate what was happening as he heard the Thin Man's voice behind the screen: "I will deal with you later, girl."</p><p>~oOo~</p><p>Back in her room at the top of the tower, Six tried to find another way out as the door now had a lock and there was no key to unlock it. She couldn't give up! She had to escape so she couldn't be used against Mono! If her captor wanted to break the loop and stop her from abandoning his past self, wouldn't her escaping accomplish that? All she and Mono wanted was to shut down the tower! That was it!</p><p>The girl stopped what she was doing when she felt the Thin Man's presence once more. She had expected to only hear his voice. Instead, the door unlocked itself as it opened with a creak. However, Six didn't dare run towards it, feeling that it was a trap. To her surprise, the Thin Man materialized in her room, towering over her with a menacing look.</p><p>"Don't think I forgot about you, Six." he growled furiously. "Mono escaped my clutches, just when I was so close to catching him!"</p><p>Six felt relieved that Mono had managed to escape and looking at the Thin Man, he was still angrily thinking about the missed opportunity. Using this chance, she tried dashing for the door. However, the Transmission happened and she couldn't run at the speed she wanted to. Suddenly, she felt the pull on her body as she was now in the Thin Man's grasp.</p><p>"It's time I fulfill my warnings and get my revenge. Good night," he seethed as he released her - but not before warping the girl with his powers.</p><p>"No!" Six cried as she started to feel something within her changing.</p><p>Eventually black particles wrapped around the child, painfully distorting her body. Too big for the room, the monster that was being born had to hunch over to have space. It wasn't comfortable in that position. One of the creature's arms started to grow way too long, causing it to squish together. The monster's hair grew longer, falling over her face. In front of the distorted creature was a giant music box, formed by an imprisoned white light that came from the creature's body.</p><p>Satisfied with the results as well as a new twist he'd added to this particular time loop, the Thin Man was alerted by the presence of his younger self. He was nearby and injured. It would be the perfect opportunity to warn the boy now. This time for sure, he would break the loop and trap the real monster in this cursed tower.</p><p>Turning to stare at the music box, he mockingly told the soul trapped inside it, "Sleep tight, my traitorous Six."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Endless Nightmares</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Warning, there will be psychological torture, mild blood and gore, and suicidal ideation in this chapter.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Six could barely see her surroundings. Trapped in an empty void, she couldn't tell what was going on or where she was going. She could only see, which wasn't much. As for her distorted body, it felt like she wasn't even in control of it. In front of her was her beloved music box. The sight of it spread relief in her mind. She was always fond of those musical instruments. Something about the tune they played put her at ease. However, upon playing the music box, instead of the beautiful melody she had expected, what played was a horrid, creepy tune. Six had to cover her ears, confusion and fear present on her face. While her body was enjoying the tune, just hearing it caused her pain.</p><p><em>Too cruel...</em> The Thin Man had turned something that normally soothed her into something that caused her distress. Immediately, as the song continued to play, Six's world began to grow dark as she collapsed on the spot, her monstrous form was unaware of the torment her mind would have to go through.</p><p>Upon waking up, Six felt something was off. She felt like she was smaller than she had been before and that made her uneasy. Looking down at herself, the girl gasped as she recognized the clothes she was wearing. She wasn't wearing her raincoat anymore or her cardigan. Instead, she had on her white T-shirt and shorts. Was she... back at the Nest? Looking at the familiar room, she quickly noticed that everything was floating in the air as if they'd been stopped in time. To test the theory, she looked around to find the Butler until she finally did. Cautiously, she took a step. Then another. Nothing happened. He, too, was frozen in time. Is this a dream?</p><p><em>Then... Maybe...</em> She turned around, heading for the doors. Exiting the mansion, Six ventured outside in search of the girl - for Nona. It didn't take long to find her. She was at the same spot where she had... perished. However, Nona turned around to face her as if the frozen time didn't affect her, startling Six. Nona took off the hood that covered her face, Six watching silently as the girl's braid fell onto her shoulder.</p><p>"Don't come any closer, Six," Nona snarled, venom present in her tone. The younger girl couldn't help but flinch at such hostility towards her. "Why did you came back? Come to watch me drown again?"</p><p>"N-No!" Six retorted, alarmed by the accusation.</p><p>"Well, you couldn't save me when the Pretender lunged at me. All you could do was watch helplessly as I died," the girl sneered.</p><p>"I'm sorry..." Six quietly mumbled.</p><p>"You failed to save me, why should your dreams be any different?" The older girl turned around.</p><p>Confusion spread on Six's face as she looked up. To her horror, Nona jumped from the cliff without care. Six immediately leaped forward, hand reaching out. <em>It can't happen again! Not again! No!</em> She grabbed onto the sleeves of the raincoat, but the girl slipped out of it, falling into the water with a loud splash. Panicking, the younger girl scanned the water, looking for any sign of a brown braided hair or a bright red ribbon that kept her long hair in that style. Nothing. Looking down at the yellow raincoat, Six felt tears forming at the edge of her eyes. While she never had the chance to properly bond with Nona as much as she had with Mono, she was a dear friend. Covering her face, Six could feel the warm tears streaming down her face.</p><p><em>This is not a dream. It's not a dream at all...</em> When she opened her eyes, the sight before her caused her to fall back in terror. The remains of the Nome in a pool of blood... her yellow raincoat stained red. She couldn't recall if she'd eaten the Nome because of her uncontrollable hunger or because she couldn't accept the sausage it was holding due to it being made from children's meat. Regardless, it didn't matter - because that Nome was a child, only in a different form. She had stolen a life - stole someone's future.</p><p>A song started to play and Six found herself in the School again. She can hear multiple Bullies, their faces laughing and taunting her in the dark. She could also hear the voices of the many enemies she had previously encountered.</p><p>"You are weak! You were never strong! Otherwise, you could have prevented those tragedies from happening!"</p><p>"Regretting leaving the Maw? I had warned you about the outside world."</p><p>"Go away! Leave me alone!" Six shut her eyes closed as she shouted, trying to block their vicious remarks.</p><p>"But you are alone! You will always be alone!" they sadistically taunted. "You couldn't save anyone and that will forever follow you!"</p><p>"You deserve this, Six."</p><p>
  <em>Filthy... Tainted... Cursed...</em>
</p><p>Opening her eyes, Six screamed as an even more horrifying scene stood in front of her. The bloodied remains of someone... a human - a child! Feeling a warm, wet, stickiness, she looked at the palms of her hands. Bright, red blood. Who did it belong to? Whose blood was it?! Looking hesitantly at the remains, the girl took slow steps towards it, peering down cautiously. Gasping at the familiar paper bag now drenched in blood, Six immediately turned away from the scene, her heart racing. Run away, she wanted to run away. However, she collapsed as she suddenly felt sick. <em>It's not real, it's not real, it's not real!</em></p><p>She couldn't have... could she? Had this happened? Or was it just another fear taking the form of her nightmares? What was even real? What was false? She didn't know! She's didn't know and it frustrated her! It frightened her! It felt real. Too real. The taste... of his blood was... sweet with a hint of tanginess. The sight of her dead friend - dead because she'd finally pushed her body to the limit. Unable to stop the urge, she vomited, her body rejecting the delicious taste despite her stomach and hunger demanding food. The aftertaste was horrid.</p><p>Panting heavily as she tried to steady herself, Six found herself unable to move as tears fell from her eyes. She rubbed hastily, trying to get rid of the bothersome tears, but it was useless. Despair fell onto her as she collapsed to her knees.</p><p><em>Why? Why does this always happen to me... What grave sin did I commit to deserve all of this?</em> she wondered, her words unintentionally reflecting the words of another, <em>If this nightmare and pain were to continue... Then I'd rather die...</em></p><p>The darkness soon consumed her. It was empty and she was alone in the fetal position, hopelessness filling her world. The distorted music box continued to play, bringing back memories that she didn't want to remember, twisting them into something unrecognizable. Even happy moments had become distorted and changed. This was her nightmare. Would it ever end? Or was this her eternal punishment that fate had thrown in her face to remind her of the many times she'd failed to save those dear to her? The words of the Thin Man kept replaying in her world: <em>Death would have been a kinder fate for children like you</em>.</p><p>~oOo~</p><p>"Hey."</p><p>
  <em>Crack!</em>
</p><p>Suddenly, a gentle-sounding voice resounded in her nightmare, startling Six as a tiny silver of light shone down from the crack that had formed ever so slightly in her dark prison. Standing up, she peered though the tiny peephole and saw Mono! He didn't have his bag over his head, but he was gently calling out to her. He must have defeated the Thin Man. Six knew that while trapped in her nightmare world, Mono wouldn't be able to hear her, but she found hope within herself again, forgetting about the man's words to her. She didn't care if the Thin Man was Mono's future. All she cared about right now was the boy who was her friend - the same one who was trying to save her.</p><p>
  <em>Even after what he's been through, he's still gleaming like the moonlight...</em>
</p><p>"Six," he called out to her monstrous form.</p><p>Her body seemed to recognize him a little as she came closer to him. However, whenever he got too close to the music box, she would gently, yet forcefully swat him away from it.</p><p><em>A lonely girl who is isolated, only finding comfort in her music box, wanting to be left alone... Six, I know you don't want that. T</em>he boy recalled her dream.<em> I'll save you!</em></p><p>Running to the suitcase, Mono picked up a hammer and dragged it near the music box. With a big swing, the weapon made contact with the box, causing an explosion. At the same time, the tiny fracture began to grow bigger as large cracks started to appear in the nightmare world.</p><p>Despite having no control over what her monstrous body was doing, Six's moment of hope halted as her clutched her head. She was seeing something... a vision perhaps? Maybe it was a dream? Was it hers or Mono's? She could see the two of them escaping the Signal Tower as it lost power. Her hope grew bigger. Looking up, she watched in shock as her body violently destroyed her surroundings, being very protective of the music box. Immediately, the girl understood where she was. The source of this nightmare world that imprisoned her was that musical instrument!</p><p>Luckily, Mono managed to escape and hide, her body missing him hiding under the table. Following her body through the door, Mono eventually found her, along with the music box, in a different room. With clever maneuvering, Mono made another strike to the music box. While her body angrily shrieked and screamed, covering her ears as the music box was slowly getting destroyed, Six cheered as the cracks around her got larger and larger. Another vision appeared. Together, the two children ended up in a room. It was getting better and better. Did she and Mono escape the loop?</p><p>Third strike.</p><p>Suddenly, the happy, pleasant visions Six experienced two strikes ago changed, much to her confusion. Without warning, she was doubling over in pain as her stomach growled. Her hunger had come back and just like she had feared back at the Hospital, it had grown with ferocity.</p><p>
  <em>Why now? This wasn't suppose to happen! Not now! Not after we escaped! Not after Mono escaped his fate!</em>
</p><p>Mono was gently touching her shoulder, asking what was wrong. Frightened, Six took a few steps back, telling him to stay away from her. Sweet... too sweet. He was too sweet - too kind to her. He let his concern for her take over, ignoring her warning.</p><p>Fourth strike.</p><p><em>No... no, no, no!</em> Six hoped that the next vision wouldn't be what she thought it would.</p><p>She told him that she needed food immediately. It didn't matter what it was, she just needed food! The boy took off, trying to search for something to ease her pain. Eventually, her hunger took her over completely. Her vision blurred and her stomach continued to growl. Slowly getting up, she weakly walked towards Mono, arms reached out. With each strike, Six felt her mind being assaulted with horrible visions as cracks spread throughout her nightmare.</p><p>Looking through the cracks, the music box was nearly destroyed. It was sparking and two more strike could break it completely.</p><p><em>No! Stop it! Don't do it!</em> Six cried out, not wanting to see any more visions - not wanting to see more nightmares becoming reality. However, her pleas were not heard as the boy used his voice to make her body back away from the music box, giving him the chance to break it.</p><p>Fifth strike.</p><p>The vision was getting worse. Jumping on top of the boy, she pinned her friend down. At first, Mono was surprised, thinking she was playing a game with him. But when he could see that she wasn't responsive, worry took over his features. She was weak, she couldn't stop it.</p><p>She didn't want Mono to save her anymore, wishing that she would stay trapped in her nightmare. Even if her mind would forever be tormented much to the Thin Man's pleasure, it was better than facing her nightmares in reality. Unable to bear the vision, Six collapsed onto her knees, feeling her hope breaking. <em>Mono, please...!</em></p><p>Her monstrous body began to cry, begging the boy to not destroy the one thing that soothed her as her long arms weakly reached out towards the music box.</p><p>"You're trapped in a nightmare, Six! You have to wake up!" Mono shouted.</p><p>The sixth and final strike</p><p>
  <em>STOOOPPPP!</em>
</p><p>As her prison shattered around her, the girl saw the last vision with dread. Yet, she also accepted it, feeling resigned to her fate. It was just like her nightmare, the only difference was that she could see his face. Those eyes that had looked at her with concern a moment ago were now replaced with fear. He was afraid of her. Everything was a blur. In her state of hunger, she enjoyed the blood and flesh that she was consuming. Sweet blood that went down her eager throat, tender meat that gave her tongue a blissful sensation. She saved him, just like he'd saved her, but... there was no longer a Mono to save; he'd lost his life by the hands of his only friend... right at the very end. There was no longer a future for him as the two shadows that accompanied each other became one lone shadow that trembled by itself. The nightmares around were falling and clattering like broken glass. She was free from her inner torment, but it had come with a price.</p><p>In the depths of her mind, a voice she hadn't heard for a while chastised her in a playful manner, <em>This is your nightmare, Six. A never-ending nightmare. I told you to stop clinging onto your innocence, but you refused. Look where that has gotten you.</em></p><p><em>Shut up</em>, Six told the darker side her in a tired, pleading tone. <em>Leave me alone.</em></p><p>While Shadow Six often taunted her during her time in the Maw, she was first born when Six failed to save Nona at the Nest. For the longest time, Six had considered her darker self as a manifestation of darkness or evil around the world. But now she understood that wasn't always the case. Shadow Six was the manifestation of all her shattered dreams and stolen innocence. Her dark version only gained a form after the many horrors she'd witnessed at the Maw. Six could never have the childhood she dreamed of. No, her life was always at constant danger, filled with tough decisions.</p><p>Looking at her hands, she noticed that she had reverted back to her normal size. Standing up, Six looked over at Mono, the boy giving a friendly, yet somewhat awkward wave. As this was the first time she had had a good look at the boy without his paper bag, the girl felt a prang in her chest.</p><p>Messy black hair with some strands sticking out... pretty set of warm dark eyes that gleamed with such familiarity... and a bright, yet clumsy smile on his face. Completely contrasting with how the Thin Man had looked at her with his eyes of rage and disgust, and a sneer that spewed words of hatred.</p><p><em>You actually noticed it for a while now, haven't you, Six? The moment you saw him when being chased by the Hunter. </em>Shadow Six inquired in a sing-song voice,<em> You just didn't want to accept it.</em></p><p>As the girl gazed at the boy, Six knew she couldn't deny it any longer. She had noticed - that something was special about Mono. After their brief meeting, she'd resolved to not get involved with the boy, fearing that she would face another painful loss, but she so badly wanted to have a friend by her side. Was that just too much to ask? And now, would she have to make this choice? Feeling her powers faintly resurfacing after being suppressed for such a long time, she felt a foreboding hunger slowly creeping its way into her stomach. However, she ignored it, not wanting to remember that nightmare she had just been through.</p><p><em>You know what has to happen, right?</em> Shadow Six asked as Six felt a devilish smirk forming as her shadow had appeared before her.</p><p>Of course she knew. However, she didn't have the time to think about it as the interior of the Signal Tower started to collapse. The grotesque mass of the Flesh Walls with their many eyes broke out of the building. Wasting no time, Six started to run, trying to get as far away from Mono as possible. It wasn't that she was afraid of the boy despite his future self having subjected her to the nightmares she faced. She was afraid for him. She just wanted to run away - to run away from her problems - to run away from the creeping nightmare that was slowly becoming reality.</p><p>"Hey, wait up!" Mono shouted from far behind her as he tried to catch up. Six heard him, but kept running. Up ahead was a portal that led to the outside. Without the Thin Man, she could make it through the glass. Running to the bridge, a tremor caused her to stumble and collapse. She considered getting up and running to the exit until she heard the boy called out her name, "Six!"</p><p>Stopping, she turned around to see Mono. He was running towards her, but with the Transmission around them, his running was slowed down. Regardless, at the end of the collapsing bridge, he jumped the gap. She reached out and caught his hand. He was looking at her with eyes filled with child-like wonder and hope, expecting her to pull him up like she had normally done whenever she caught him. Why had she done it? Why did she caught his hand? The answer was simple. She wanted to save him.</p><p>However, Six started to hesitate, contemplating if she should help the boy or not. If she pulled him up and they escaped together, those frightening visions she experienced would become reality. Her stomach, while it wasn't growling, let out a soft rumble as if trying to remind her to have a meal ready for it. Sooner or later, Mono wouldn't be safe around her now that the Signal Tower was collapsing. If she pulled him up... Once that happened, the boy she knew would no longer be there. Looking at him, the boy whose life depend on her, she saw him the same way she had throughout their journey.</p><p><em>Why are you hesitating, Six? There are two easy solutions. Either take him as your next meal or drop him.</em> Shadow Six chided her,<em> If you want, I can make the choice for you.</em></p><p>
  <em>No!</em>
</p><p>She paused, still trying to think. Mono had been with her on their entire journey. If she let go, Mono might die as she couldn't see what was below in the abyss underneath the boy. However, there was a slim possibility that he might survive if he was not severely injured.</p><p>
  <em>You abandoned me.</em>
</p><p>Those words replayed in her mind. She now understood what the Thin Man had meant. This was the moment he'd been referring to. But she didn't want to abandon him for whatever reason he was thinking. She wanted him to live. She didn't care if Mono was the Thin Man. She wanted him to come with her... but he couldn't. If he stayed with her, he would surely die by her hands. Her hunger had proved it before when she couldn't control herself and had devoured that poor Nome. Her heart ached from the decision she would have to make and the fate she would have to put Mono through.</p><p>"Six?"</p><p>The girl looked at Mono in the eyes; the boy was startled by her delay and hesitance. His hopeful expression morphed into fear and dread at the sudden realization. That pitiful look pained Six as she gazed down at him.</p><p><em>She wouldn't, would she?</em> Mono shook his head, trying to deny the thought, but also telling his friend to not do what he feared she might. "Six?"</p><p>There was still hope and kindness in his eyes as he wanted to believe in his friend. That hope was just like hers when she thought she could escape from her nightmares. But... very soon, those eyes wouldn't look at her like that anymore. Just like... she wouldn't see those eyes ever again.</p><p>It would be the last time she gazed into those kind eyes and the last time she would have a cherished friend like Mono. Trying to stay strong and composed, she was ready to say her parting words. Unfortunately, her expression had betrayed the emotions she had intended.</p><p>"I'm sorry, Mono..." Her voice felt weak and came out as small. A tear fell from her eye and landed onto the boy's face.</p><p>Startled by the sight, he inquired as his impending dread was confirmed, "Please, Six! Are you upset with me? D-Did I do something wrong? If I unintentionally hurt you, I'm very sorry! Please!"</p><p>His pleas caused her heart to hurt even more. Why did he think he did something wrong?</p><p>
  <em>Because he did hurt you. Without realizing it, he hurt you as the Thin Man.</em>
</p><p>It wasn't his fault!</p><p>
  <em>But it was. He put you through that torment. He even admits that it didn't matter which version of you he targeted. </em>
</p><p>But he hadn't hurt her, he'd saved her! She wasn't upset with the boy who was dangling off the ledge - she wasn't mad at him. Despite what the Thin Man had done, Mono was different. Even if he did hurt her, she wanted to forgive him, to save him, to escape with him. She...</p><p>
  <em>I love him. He's the only friend who always showed me such kindness...</em>
</p><p>The boy kept on apologizing, panic and desperation filling his voice each time he apologized for any possible harm he could have caused her.</p><p>"No, that's not it..." More tears threatened to fall.</p><p>
  <em>It's too much... it's too cruel!</em>
</p><p>Looking at his face, his expression nearly matched hers as tears started to well up in his eyes. Resignation. Finally, she let go of his hand. He was falling, but due to the Transmission, he was falling at a slow rate. But eventually, the darkness below him enveloped his entire body. She turned away, not wanting to see the look of hurt and confusion on his face. That flickering hope that still stubbornly persisted until finally, the tragedy happened, crushing it like destroying a small, fragile flower. While the boy's expression stayed fresh in her mind, her heart ached and throbbed.</p><p>He hadn't even said anything to her while falling. No words of insult or malice, no cursing at her existence, no screams of anger... all which she was deserving of. Nothing. He could have done it, but he didn't do any of it, which only made it even more tragic and heart-wrenching.</p><p><em>If only he'd screamed out how much he hated me</em>, Six thought as the guilt in her heart started to grow and weigh heavy. <em>Had you have been mean and cruel to me, Mono, it would have given me a reason to hate you.</em> Her body started to tremble as a lump formed in her throat, <em>It would have made it easier for me to betray you without feeling remorse.</em></p><p>But that's not what had happened. The Thin Man had done exactly those things. He'd hated her, cursed her, been angry at her. Her enemy had done all those things. But not her friend. Mono had been nothing but kind and compassionate towards her. In the end, there was no hate present in her heart, only sadness and guilt remaining over her inability to save a friend from herself... again. Walking towards the light, Six made her way to the portal and passed through.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. A Lonely Sun's Lamentations</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>After passing through the TV, Six was thrown into a dark room with the only light coming from the source behind her. Breathing heavily, the girl stood up, wrapping her arms around herself in an attempt to stay calm. But after what had happened, she couldn't stay calm. It hurt. Her slowly-returning hunger that upset her stomach, her head that was flooded with so many thoughts and emotions, and her heart that felt like it was being ripped into shreds.</p>
<p><em>Impressive, Six. You chose to let go without needing me to do it.</em> Shadow Six suddenly appeared, giving her a nod. <em>Congratulations.</em></p>
<p>Taking a shaky breath, the girl tried to keep her voice even, <em>I didn't want to betray him.</em></p>
<p><em>Of course not, but you still did. However, had you taken him with you, </em><em>his fate wouldn't have changed regardless. Considering the alternative, it would still be you who suffered the loss.</em> Shadow Six responded.</p>
<p>The image of Mono dying because of her uncontrollable hunger flashed in her mind. Tears started to well up in her eyes again as she shook at the thought. Either she watched as Mono fell or he got eaten alive.</p>
<p><em>Poor Six. She can never have the happiness she wants - no sweet dreams for poor little Six. </em>Shadow Six happily taunted. <em>Poor naive Mono too. Betrayed by his first friend! Oh, the horror! Destined to repeat the same fate over again! If he didn't despise you before, he probably does now! Hahaha!</em></p>
<p>Shadow Six twirled around in glee as Six watched in distress. Her shadow was starting to hum the melody of the music box, but more merrily in her own dark, twisted nature.</p>
<p>
  <em>Oh, I nearly forgot. It will be a while until Mono grows up to become the Thin Man. You should start eating now before he regains his full powers. Have fun~! Hahaha!</em>
</p>
<p>With that last remark, Shadow Six slowly disappeared, leaving Six alone. She was in a random room as her stomach started to growl hungrily, demanding food.</p>
<p>~oOo~</p>
<p>After searching the house for food, Six finally found something to eat. She satisfied her hunger, but at the same time, her stomach seemed to disagree with the contents filling it up. Almost like it was telling her it wasn't hungry. Gathering herself up, the girl slowly walked out to the balcony to descend down the stairs. The scenery was a perfect description of what she was feeling. Cold, dark, and numb. The rain continued to pour over the Pale City without end from the dark, stormy clouds. Had someone in the sky known that this was going to happen and that's why they were shedding tears? Who were they crying for? Her? Mono? Or both?</p>
<p>Descending down the stairs brought back that unsettling memory at the Nest once more. When Nona had plummeted to her watery grave, she too was falling with tears in her eyes. Resignation. She'd known Six wouldn't be able to save her, just like the small girl knew she couldn't save Nona. All she could do was watch.</p>
<p>After it was all over, she had climbed down the cliff and found a nearby raft. She'd escaped the Nest, but she couldn't escape that memory. She had cried to herself over her loss until the sight of the bright yellow raincoat came to her. She'd taken it with her, finding comfort in it as the view of the Pale City appeared. That was the first time she'd come to this place. Who would have thought that now, she would have to leave this city for its recent tragic fate of another friend?</p>
<p>Reaching the streets, Six found herself at a loss. Where could she go? There would never be a place that she wanted to return to - a place to call home. So where could she go? Where should she leave to? Feeling a heavy feeling build up in her chest, the girl didn't realize she was biting her lip to keep back a sob.</p>
<p>It hurt her to betray Mono when she didn't want to, but it had probably hurt the boy more since he would never understand why she chose to let go of his hand. Even if he survived the fall like she hoped, the look in his eyes she'd seen before he fell would most likely change. From kind, familiar, and hopeful to despairing, disgusted, and vengeful. The thought of his expression if she were to meet him again...</p>
<p>Before, she'd been holding back her tears. No one would be here to see or hear her grief, so now, she let her tears roll freely down her face. However, she couldn't tell the difference between her tears and the raindrops that pelted roughly at her pale skin. Slowly, she covered her eyes, the rain washing over her like the despair she'd experienced back in that nightmare world. As she cried, an odd sensation brushed up against her leg, startling her. Looking down, she saw it was a paper bag with two holes in it for eyes. It floated in the water from the heavy rainstorm. Picking it up, Six began to examine it.</p>
<p>It obviously belonged to Mono, but it had become unrecognizable. Until recently, the paper bag had been well preserved, staying resistant to water. But now, the heavy downpour had broken through the waterproof seal, causing the bag to become wet and lumpy. Gazing at the slumping item in her hands brought back a memory from before all the chaos had happened.</p>
<p>
  <em>"Mono, why do you wear that paper bag over your head?" </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>"It helps me forget... that the world hates me and wants me to fail. Without it, I feel like I can see everyone's cruelty towards me."</em>
</p>
<p>But that's exactly what had happened. He'd taken off his paper bag and seen cruelty staring right back at him, as she couldn't give him the compassion he wanted.</p>
<p>
  <em>"Do you think... if you took that bag off your head, you'd see me like a monster who'd hurt you?"</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>"No, I would never. You're my friend, Six. I wouldn't think badly of you."</em>
</p>
<p>The memory of his kind words caused a new wave of fresh throbbing to enter her heart. She was a monster and she had hurt him, too! After what she had done - after having betrayed him - would his opinion of her change now?</p>
<p>
  <em>He must deeply hate me... Until the very end...</em>
</p>
<p>Holding the paper bag close to her chest, her throat, which had been suppressing the urge to cry, finally let out a wail. She cried her heart out, tearfully screaming as she slowly collapsed onto her knees. Eventually, the lump in her throat grew, reducing the girl to bitter sobs. She had thrown away someone precious to her. A friend who had helped her time and time again! She loved him! And she couldn't take it back. She couldn't turn back time. Just like that broken music box that would never play its lovely melody again, her friendship with Mono would be irreparable after she had betrayed her one and only friend.</p>
<p>"I'm sorry, I'm sorry..." she lamented as tears of regret continue to fall like the rain. "I'm so sorry, Mono."</p>
<p>This was her fate too, this hellish cycle that would never be broken. Her nightmares would always come back to haunt her. Even when she escaped, they would always return and they would always remember.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>The first chapter for the Seventh Reality will be posted in three days. Until then, see you soon!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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